South African digital signage company Moving Tactics has launched people counting technology to help stores control the number of shoppers.

With the spread of Covid-19, several experts predict that there will be a need to social distance until 2022; the two-metre social distancing rule may become part of the new normal. As a result, retailers want an effective and reliable method of counting the number of customers in their stores at any given time.

The current people counting measures introduced by some retailers, such as laminated numbered cards, a staff member counting people as they enter or even coloured laundry pegs, do not provide shoppers with a sense of wellbeing and security. These makeshift methods not only put customers at risk through touch, but may indeed end up harming the brand and putting off customers.

As a result, Moving Tactics developed people counting technology that it says is reliable and cost-effective and can be scaled to any size retailer to manage the entry of customers into a store.

According to Chris Day, managing director of Moving Tactics, the people counting technology has been created in response to retailers who need to stay compliant with new government regulations pertaining to social distancing so as to ensure they keep their customers safe.

“It combines digital signage with people counting technology that keeps track of the number of people entering and leaving a store and compares that to the store’s actual capacity,” said Day.

This number is then communicated via a digital screen at the entrance to waiting customers and staff, both visually and via a buzzer feature. The stand can also be fitted with a hand sanitiser to create an all-in-one unit.

“This system provides accurate information and reporting that presents law enforcement with surety as well as giving customers and staff peace of mind that their health and well-being are a priority,” said Day.

Furthermore, the digital screen is suitable for sharing content with waiting customers. The content may include health-related information, promotional advertising or the latest updates on current pandemic regulations.

“We have included a maintenance plan and content management offering so that retailers are confident that the latest facts and information are displayed in a visually dynamic and engaging way,” said Day.

The technology has been developed locally to meet the needs of retailers in South Africa.

“We are proud to bring a contactless, authoritative technology like this one to market,” said Day. “I am confident that retailers who employ technology like this will not only boost their brand but also win over customers with their professionalism and care.”